A new cast member was recently announced for the upcoming live-action Rurouni Kenshin “final chapter” films. Actress Kasumi Arimura, whose most recent roles include Marnie in When Marnie Was There and Airi Katagiri in the ERASED live-action film, was revealed this Thursday to be playing the role of Tomoe Yukishiro. Tomoe was Kenshin’s wife during his days as Battousai, with her story linked to how Kenshin got his X-shaped scar.
Tomoe and Kenshin’s relationship was also explored in the Rurouni Kenshin: Trust and Betrayal OVA (original video animation) project.
A character visual was also revealed for Tomoe:
Most of the main cast from the past Rurouni Kenshin films have been announced to be reprising their roles. Takeru Satoh (Kenshin Himura), Emi Takei (Kaoru Kamiya), Munetaka Aoki (Sanosuke Sagara), Yosuke Eguchi (Hajime Saito) and Yuu Aoi (Megumi Takani)—have played their respective roles since 2012. Only Riku Onishi is new to the cast, replacing Kaito Oyagi as Yahiko Myojin.
Mackenyu Arata will also be joining the cast as the antagonist Enishi Yukishiro, the younger brother of Kenshin’s wife Tomoe Yukishiro. He is described in the official website as “a mysterious arms dealer who controls the underworld of the Chinese continent, and a man who sent weapons and warships to have manipulated Makoto Shishio. He has a strong grudge against Kenshin, and sets up the ‘Jinchu’ to destroy not only Kenshin but everything related to Kenshin, and the new era he has created!”
Two films dubbed as the “Final Chapter” are set to be released this year. The first of the two films, entitled The Final, will center on the Jinchu arc and Kenshin’s conflict with Enishi. The second film, entitled The Beginning, will tell the story of how Kenshin got his famous cross-shaped scar.
The first film The Final will be released in Japan on July 3. The second, The Beginning, will be released on August 7. The director of the first three films, Keishi Otomo, returns to direct the Final Chapter films.
Source: Anime News Network